Conservatives hammer Liberals with questions in the case of Vice Admiral Norman

The case of Vice Admiral Mark Norman was back in the House of Commons on Monday with questions about former journalist James Cudmore and when he was offered a job in Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s office.

Norman, who as vice-chief of the defence staff was second-in command of the Canadian Forces, was suspended from his position by Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance in January 2017, some 14 months after then-CBC journalist Cudmore reported that the newly elected Liberal government planned to delay a contract awarded to Davie Shipbuilding to provide the navy with a supply ship.

In the face of the resulting publicity the government backed down on the delay, but asked the RCMP to investigate the alleged leak of information. The government claimed the information was protected by cabinet confidence, which it is illegal to release without authorization.

After the RCMP raided Norman’s house, Vance suspended him from his duties. He was not charged until March 2018. The RCMP allege Norman championed Davie’s proposal and provided Davie officials with information from the cabinet meeting and the discussions about delaying the deal with the company. Norman was not at the meeting and was not in Ottawa at the time. He has been charged with one count of breach of trust and has denied any wrongdoing.

In response to the question about the date Cudmore was hired, Sajjan said he couldn’t remember but was willing to get that information.

Conservative MP Candice Bergen then came back with another question about whether the hiring was before or after the Nov. 20, 2015 cabinet meeting at the heart of the Norman case.

Sajjan then said he couldn’t comment any further.

And so it began.

Karen McCrimmon, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, told the Commons it was inappropriate to speculate on matters related to an ongoing criminal trial. MPs, she said, should abide by that legal convention. After a few more questions from the Conservatives, McCrimmon read off some of the rules of House of Commons procedure: Members, she noted “are expected to refrain from discussing matters actively before the courts or under judicial consideration in order to guard those involved in a court action or judicial inquiry from any undue influence.”

Tory Defence critic James Bezan wasn’t taking no for an answer, pointing out that in November 2015, CBC journalist James Cudmore broke an exclusive story about the Liberal government deciding to put the brakes on a project with Davie Shipyards to provide a supply ship for the Royal Canadian Navy. Two months later, Cudmore went to work for Sajjan as a senior policy adviser, Bezan pointed out.

Bezan wanted to find out when Cudmore first discussed his employment with the minister’s office. “Was this position created to reward him for his great reporting or were the Liberals trying to shut Cudmore up,” Bezan asked in the Commons.

McCrimmon again repeated her position that it is improper for a MP to pose a question involving an ongoing court case.

But a number of Conservative MPs kept asking about Cudmore. Bezan pointed out that Cudmore had broken all sorts of exclusive stories about the Canadian Armed Forces. The government, he suggested, was comfortable in leaking information to him.

Finally, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel laid out where the Conservatives were going with their line of questioning. “I am going to ask this very bluntly and I want a very clear answer,” she said. “Was James Cudmore hired by the minister of defence or by the Prime Minister’s Office to stop him from reporting on political interference on the Davie Shipbuilding contract?

And on it went. The Conservatives never did get an answer. Nine Conservative MPs asked questions in the Commons on Monday about the Mark Norman case.

That interest in the case will likely only grow as politicians prepare for next year’s federal election.